Evaporating-pan.



No. 640J35. Patented Dec. 26, I899.

' B. HOSKINS.

EVAPORATING PAN.

(Application filed Mar. 2, 1898.) (N 0 M 0 d e I inc.

BIRD IIOSKINS, or MIDDLEFIELD, onro.

EVAPORATING-PAN.

smmcttm farming as of Letters Patent No. 640,135, dated December 26,1899. Application filed March 2, 1898. $eria1No. 672,321. (No model.)

will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in evaporator-pans; andthe objects and nature of the invention will more fully appearhereinafter.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and incombinations and in arrangements of parts, as more particularlyspecified in detail and set forthin the following description. 7

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating one out of severalconstructions within the scope of and for carrying out my invention,Figure 1 is a detail perspective of an evaporating-pan embodyingmyinvention, one of the hinged or removable pans shown elevated ortilted. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view through one of the'movablepans, the arch, and the combined valt e and deflector for such pan inits lowered normal position. Fig. 3 is a corresponding view showing thepan elevated and said combined valve and deflector elevated to close theopening in the arch normally receiving the pan. Fig. 4 is a sectionalview taken longitudinally of the arch and at right angles to the planeof the sections of Figs."2 and 3, showing said combined valve anddeflector in a different position. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of thevalve and deflector.

My invention relates to that class or type of evaporators wherein a longbody, frame, or arch is provided, having a furnace at one end and asmoke-discharge at the other and aseries of closely-arranged syrup orsap pans on the arch, the pans of which may be hinged at correspondingends, so that any pan can be raised from the arch and tilted to syrupoff the same, or the pans, if connected, permit a flow of sap or juicefrom one pan to the next pan by means of siphons and may be removableentirely from the arch. The arch is usually open beneath each pan, sothat the heat and products of combustion come in di'- rect contact withthe bottom of the pan. When a large evaporator is in full blast with theboiling sap or juice flowing into the syruppan, the syrup-pan has to beseparately raised or removed to discharge the syrup, say, about everyhalf-hour. and used, the smoke and flame flue is thus left open beneatheach pan when elevated,

As generally constructed thereby permitting soot and ashes to escapeinto the other pans of the evaporator and also most materially cuttingoff the draft of the.

furnace and permitting smoke and heat to escape through such openingsevery time a pan is elevated, hence scorching the syrup While the pan ispartially empty and reducing the temperature at the remaining pans andmost materially retarding the-progress of the process, causing delay andgreat waste of fuel and heat and the production of a poor or low gradeof syrup. In the evaporators generally employed attempts have been madeto prevent these disadvantages by shutting the dampers at the front ofthe arch and in the smoke-pipe, and thus completely shutting off thefurnace whenever a pan is elevated; but such method seriously retardsthe pro ress of the process by practically cutting off the heat andstopping the boiling of the contents of all the pans whenever a singlepan is raised. In fact, such method in no way obviates the disadvantagesstated, as the flue is still left entirely open whenever a pan israised.

It is the object of my invention to so improve and add to theconstruction of such evaporators as to obviate such disadvantages byproviding means to close the opening into the flue beneath each panwhenever such pan is elevated or when the pan is in operative positionto deflect the heat against the bottom of any pan, if so desired.

In the drawings, a is the long horizontallydisposed body of theevaporator,havinga furnace a at one end and a smoke discharge or ofltakectat the opposite end. Said bodyof the evaporator is formed internallywith a heatpassage,smoke-flue,orarch a from the furnace to the offtakeusually, although not necessarily inclined upwardly at the bottom fromthe furnace to the smoke pipe or discharge. The top of the body or archis formed open with a m ss or without supporting cross-pieces a and thesyrup-pans b are usually arranged closely on the top of the arch or bodytransversely thereof,with the series of pans extending from one end ofthe body to the other end or to the smoke-pipe. The pans rest on thecross-bars and top side edges of the arch, preferably so that thebottoms of the pans form the top surface or closing means of the smokeand heat passage-that is, there is an opening beneath each pan into saidpassage. The pans are movable, preferably, by being hinged at one end,so that each pan can be tilted or raised vertically to discharge syruptherefrom. Hence when a pan is thus elevated the smoke and heat passagewould ordinarily be entirely open beneath the same in the class ofevaporators thus far described and as generally constructed.

I provide a combined valve and deflector 0. These can be arrangedbeneath one or more of the pans of the evaporator. The valve anddeflector 0 can be formed of sheet metal or other material of a size tocompletely close and cover the opening into the flue or passage beneathits particular pan.

Suitable supporting and operating means extending to and operative fromthe exterior of the evaporator are provided, whereby the operator canmanipulate the valve as desired. The valve is arranged to normally reston the bottom or floor of the arch or smoke-passage in such a way as notto obstruct or retard the draft. It is shown provided with transversebottom ribs 0 to rest below the bottom of the passage and permit the topof the valve to drop about to a level with the bottom of the flue, adepressed recess or seat in the floor of the flue being preferablyprovided to receive the val ve. Inclined orbeveled projections c extendrearwardly from the rear edge of the valve and preferably project abovethe plane of the upper surface of the valve for the purposes hereinafterpointed out. If desirable, said bottom flanges or ribs 0 can be soformed or inclined at their lower edges as to deflect the heat upwardlytoward the pan above when the valve is resting on the bottom of thepassage. As a convenient and desirable means for operating the valve, Ishow a crank-shaft (1, extending transversely of the smoke-passagebeneath the valve and mounted to turn in the bearing-boxes d d in or onthe bottom of the smoke-passage, so that the axis on which said shaftturns will be preferably beneath the rear portion of the panthat is inrear, in the line of draft, of the center of the pan. One end of theshaft is carried out through the side wall of the evaporator and at theexterior thereof provided with a crank or turning handle (1 whereby theshaft is rocked and the valve operated.

Means are provided to hold the shaft in the desiredpositionoradjustment. Forinstance, I show a ratchet-wheel d rigid on the shaft,and apawl d pivoted to the side of the evaporator for engaging andlocking the ratchetwheel. The shaft is provided with the long' crankedportion 61 beneath the valve and loosely journaled or confined to thevalve. I show said cranked portion passing through and journaled in saiddepending ribs or flanges at a point preferably nearer the rear edge ofthe valve than the front edge thereof, although my invention is notlimited to these features. When the valve is in its normal position onthe floor of the passage, said crank lies beneath the valve and,projects toward the furnace end of the evaporator or forwardly, and thecrank should be of such length as to hold or support the valve whenelevated up against the under side of said crosspieces or toppan-supporting edges of the evaporator sides.

It will be observed that when the parts are in their normal positionsand it is desired to elevate a pan the operator first swings the shafthandle down, (the pawl then runs loosely over the ratchet-wheel,) andthereby swings the cranked portion of the shaft upwardly and rearwardly,carrying the valve u pwardly and rearwardly and in a forwardly anddownwardly inclined position, the rear end moving up first and beingelevated, and then as the cranked portion of the shaft continues up andrearwardly, the said rear edge projections of the valve engage thecrosspieces beneath the rear edge of the pan, and slide along under thesame, and the rear edge of the valve is closed up against the under sideof the top supporting edges of the evaporator sides and saidcross-pieces, thereby closing the opening beneath the pan and permittingelevation thereof without the disadvantageous results hereinbeforespecified. The pawl-engaging ratchet-wheel locks the shaft and valveagain st retrograde movement and holds the valve in the desired elevatedposition. The rear edge of the valve prefer ably does not engage therear cross-piece; but usually said projections of the valve en- 'gagesuch cross-piece and hold the surface of the valve down slightly fromsaid cross-piece. The opening beneath the pan is thus main tained closedwithout requiring the operator to hold the shaft in such position, andthe pan can be raised, and as the valve is slightly below the top indirect contact with the pan the same can be again filled with sapwithout danger of scorching, as the pan is shielded from the directimpact of the hot products of combustion. When the pan has been returnedto its normal position, the pawl can be released and the shaft and valvereturned to their normal positions.

It will be noted that the valve when raised first assumes an upwardlyand rearwardly inclined position, with its upper edge below anintermediate portion of the pan, and that the pawl will hold the valveat any position. Hence the valve when held in such position will deflectand direct the hot products of combustion up against the pan should anincreased heat be desired at any particular pan.

IIO

The heat can be concentrated at the pan to a greater or less degree byraising or lowering the valve. Also the rearward and upward projectionsat the back edge of the valve permit the draft to pass over the valveand over the rear edge thereof, thereby allowing the rush of hot air,&c., to sweep dust and ashes from the upper surface of the valve and prevent the same blowing off the valve when the same is elevated and thepan is removed.- The rearward projections at the back edge of the valveguide the same in its movements and prevent the same catching or hangingon the pan or cross-piece.

What I claim is- 1. In an evaporator, a body having a furnace and asmoke-flue, and formed with a top opening into said flue to receive aremovable sap-pan, a vertically-movable valve within.

and normally resting on the floor of the flue and when elevated formedto close said opening, and means operative from the exterior of theevaporator for raising said valve and for locking the same in thedesired adjustment.

2. In an evaporator, a body or furnace having a smoke-flue provided witha top opening to receive a movable pan, and a tiltable deflector withinand normally resting on the floor of the flue, and means for tilting orinclining the same to deflect the heat up against the bottom of the pan,substantially as described.

3. In an evaporator, a furnace having a smoke-flue with a top opening'to receive a movable pan, and a vertically-movable valve normallyresting on the floor of the flue so as not to obstruct the draft andformed to move vertically and fit the under edges of the top of the flueat said opening and to close the opening, and operating means.

4. In an evaporator, a smoke-flue havinga top opening, a movable panresting on the flue over said opening, a vertically movable and tiltablevalve within the flue and formed to close said opening, said valvehaving stops or projections at its rear edge, and actuating and lockingmeans.

5. An evaporator having a smoke-flue with an opening to receive amovable pan, the combined valve and deflector within the flue having therearward and upward guiding and stop projections at its rear edge andthe bottom' flanges, and the operating crank-shaft passing looselythrough said flanges intermediate the lengths thereof.

6. In an evaporator, a heater provided with a smoke and heat flue formedat the top to receive a pan, and having a bottom depressed seat, incombination with a valve normally resting at the bottom of the flue insaid seat thereby avoiding obstruction of the draft, and provided withoperating means for elevating the valve, substantially as described.

7. In an evaporator, the combination of a heater provided with a smokeand heat flue having an outlet and top opening, a movable pan, a valvemovable from an intermediate point and operative from the exterior ofthe flue, said valve normally withdrawn and arranged outside of thedirect line of draft through the flue, and arranged to fit the edges ofsaid opening and completely close the same and lie outside of the lineof draft through the line.

8. In an evaporator, the combination of a heater provided with a smokeand heat flue having a smoke-outlet and provided with a top pan-openingand pan-supporting edges, a movable pan normally resting on said edgesand closing said opening, and a valve mechanism for closing said openingcomprising a movable valve arranged transversely of said flue beneathsaid opening and edges and movable bodily with both transverse edgeportions engaging said pan-supporting edges to close said opening andprevent interruption of the draft when a pan is elevated, said valvehaving a withdrawn normal seat or position out of the direct line ofdraft through the flue and an operative closing position against saidsupporting edges out of the direct line of draft through the flue, andsupporting and operating mechanism for the valve, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BIRD HOSKINS.

Witnesses:

JAMES W. CALDWELL, ELLIS S. HOSKINS.

